Verbena plant named ‘Sunmarivani’

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a new and distinct variety of  Verbena  plant having a decumbent growth habit. The  Verbena  plant has abundant branching, the whole plant remaining in bloom for a considerable period of time. The flowers are formed in profusion in a spike and the petals display a yellowish white color. The blooming period is from April to November, and the flowering duration is long. The plant exhibits high tolerance to heat and high resistance to rain, pests and disease, particularly powdery mildew.

Botanical denomination: Verbena hybrida.

Varietal denomination: Sunmarivani.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The new variety of Verbena plant according to this invention originatedas a mutation of Verbena hybrida ‘Sunmariba’.

The Verbena is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding andpotting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of theVerbena plant that have abundant branching, many yellowish white flowersin a spike, and a high resistance to heat, rain, and disease. The newvariety, ‘Sunmarivani’ was discovered as a mutant and has many of thosefeatures including a decumbent growth habit, much branching, manyflowers in a spike, high tolerance to heat and rain, and resistance todisease and pests.

The new variety Verbena hybrida ‘Sunmarivani’ was discovered as aspontaneous branch mutation of the Verbena hybrida ‘Sunmariba’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 10,801) in May 1997 in a field of a nursery atHakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan.

The mutant Verbana plant was propagated by cutting and was grown in potand bedding from May to November 1997 at Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun,Yamanashi-ken, Japan.

The botanical characteristics of the plant were examined, using similarvarieties ‘Sunmariba’ and ‘Sunmaririho’ (unpatented). It was concludedthat this new Verbena variety is distinguishable from other varieties,whose existence is known to us, and is uniform and stable in itscharacteristics. The new variety of Verbena plant was named‘Sunmarivani’.

In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with TheHorticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England (R.H.S.).

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

This new variety is unlike any Verbena known to us as evidenced by thefollowing unique combination of characteristics.

-   -   1. Decumbent growth habit with abundant branching.    -   2. Plentiful number of flowers in a spike, having a great        profusion of blooms with the entire plant remaining in bloom for        a considerable period of time.    -   3. Long flowering duration.    -   4. The petal color is yellowish white (near R.H.S. 155B).    -   5. The plant has a high resistance to rain, heat, disease and        pests.

The new variety ‘Sunmarivani’ differs from the similar variety‘Sunmariba’ in the following points.

-   -   1. The spreading of plants of ‘Sunmarivani’ is larger than that        of ‘Sunmariba’.    -   2. ‘Sunmarivani’ does not have anthocyanin pigmentation on stems        as is found in ‘Sunmariba’.    -   3. The petal color of ‘Sunmarivani’ is yellowish white (near        R.H.S. 155B), while that of ‘Sunmariba’ is vivid purple (near        R.H.S. N81A).    -   4. The number of flowers per spike of ‘Sunmarivani’ is more than        that of ‘Sunmariba’.

The new variety ‘Sunmarivani’ differs from the similar variety‘Sunmaririho’ in the following points.

-   -   1. The stem thickness of ‘Sunmarivani’ is thicker than that of        ‘Sunmaririho’.    -   2. The leaf margin of ‘Sunmarivani’ is more sharply serrated        than that of ‘Sunmaririho’.    -   3. The flower height of ‘Sunmarivani’ is shorter than that of        ‘Sunmaririho’.    -   4. The peduncle length of ‘Sunmarivani’ is longer than that of        ‘Sunmaririho’.

This new variety of Verbena Plant ‘Sunmarivani’ was asexually reproducedby the use of cuttings from May to November 1998 at Yokaichi-shi,Shiga-ken, Japan, and homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed.The instant plant retains its distinctive characteristics and reproducestrue to type in successive generations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The depicted plants had been reproduced by the use of cuttings and werephotographed during July 2002 while growing outdoors at an age ofapproximately 6 months at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan.

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical plant of the new variety of Verbena plant‘Sunmarivani’ growing in a hanging pot.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close view of typical foliage and blossoms of thenew variety of Verbena Plant ‘Sunmarivani’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The botanical characteristics of the new variety of Verbena plant named‘Sunmarivani’ are as follows.

-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Decumbent.        -   Plant width.—Approximately 60-80 cm.        -   Plant height.—Approximately 10-20 cm.-   Stem:    -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 3.5-4.0 mm.        -   Anthocyanin pigmentation.—Absent.        -   Pubescence.—Moderate.        -   Prickles.—Absent.        -   Branching.—Abundant.        -   Subterranean stem.—Absent.        -   Length of internode.—Approximately 3.5-4.5 cm.-   Leaf:    -   -   Phyllotaxis.—Opposite.        -   Shape of blade.—Hastate.        -   Apex shape.—Obtuse.        -   Base shape.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Sharply Serrated.        -   Length.—Approximately 4.0-5.0 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 3.0-4.0 cm.        -   Color.—Upper side: Near R.H.S. 137A (grayish olive green);            Lower side: near R.H.S. 144A (strong yellow green).        -   Pubescence.—Sparse.        -   Petiole.—Absent.-   Flower:    -   -   Shape of cluster.—Obconical.        -   Cluster length.—Approximately 3.5-5.0 cm.        -   Cluster diameter.—Approximately 5.5-6.5 cm.        -   Facing direction.—Upward.        -   Floret diameter.—Approximately 1.5-2.0 cm.        -   Floret length.—Approximately 1.5-2.0 cm.        -   Color of petal.—Upper side: near R.H.S. 155B (yellowish            white); Lower side: near R.H.S. 156C (yellowish white).        -   Eye color.—Absent.        -   Variegation.—Absent.        -   Petal apex.—Emarginated.        -   Number of petals.—Generally 5.        -   Calyx length.—Approximately 1.0-1.5 cm.        -   Calyx shape.—Tubular. Sepals have an acute apex and are            fused at the base.        -   Reproductive organs.—1 pistil and 4 stamens.        -   Pistil shape.—Bifid.        -   Anther color.—Near R.H.S. 1B (yellow green).        -   Filament color.—Near R.H.S. 1B (yellow green).        -   Pollen.—Present in a moderate quantity, color near R.H.S.            155B.        -   Stigma color.—Near R.H.S. 4D (pale yellow green).        -   Style color.—Near R.H.S. 144B (vivid yellow green).        -   Ovaries.—Commonly four in number.        -   Peduncle diameter.—Approximately 1.0-2.0 mm.        -   Peduncle length.—Approximately 7.0-9.0 cm.        -   Peduncle color.—Near R.H.S. 137C (Moderate yellow green).        -   Number of flowers per spike.—Approximately 17.        -   Flowering period.—April to November in the southern Kanto            area, Japan. The plant shape does not change throughout this            period. A typical flower commonly lasts 5 to 7 days on the            plant when experiencing a temperature of approximately 20°            C.        -   Fruit and seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been            observed.-   Physiological and ecological characteristics:    -   -   Winter hardiness.—USDA Hardiness Zone 4-9 (Grown as            perennial).        -   Heat tolerance.—The plant grows well at temperature up to at            least 35° C.        -   Disease and pest resistance.—Resistant to powdery mildew. No            serious damage by pathogen and pests common to Verbena has            been observed.

1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant named ‘Sunmarivani’,substantially as herein illustrated and described.